Gorakhpur (UP), Aug 27 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh is rapidly emerging as a global hub for liquor production and exports, with industry forecasts predicting outbound shipments to surpass 1,000 million litres by next year, the Uttar Pradesh Distillery Association has said.

Association President and Business Head S K Shukla said the state's liquor sector has seen unprecedented expansion over the past five years.

"Production capacity has more than doubled since 2017-“18, rising from 61 distilleries producing 170 billion litres to 85 distilleries producing 348 billion litres in 2022-“23," he told PTI.

In just one year, 18 new distilleries were commissioned, while another 20 are under construction, he said.

Exports have surged 155 per cent in the same period, growing from 292 million litres in 2017-“18 to 743 million litres in 2022-“23. Uttar Pradesh-made liquor is now exported to 38 countries, Shukla added.

Policy reforms,” including e-governance initiatives, single-window clearances, and a reduction in export duty on extra neutral alcohol (ENA) ”have been credited for boosting investor confidence and attracting significant capital to the sector.

Industry experts, backed by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the association's "Made in UP" branding push, project that liquor exports will comfortably cross 1,000 million litres by 2026, consolidating the state's presence in global markets, Shukla added. PTI COR KIS TRB

Export policy reforms accelerate liquor exports, with industry projecting a major volume milestone in the near term. Policy reforms enhancing export facilitation-notably e governance, single window clearance and reduction in export duty-are credited with boosting investor confidence, expanding distillery capacity and precipitating a substantial rise in liquor exports; industry forecasts, supported by promotional branding and export development agency backing, project that exports will exceed the reported volume milestone within the projected timeframe.